It is recognized that increasing momentum of rider-propelled vehicles, such as bicycles, by adding weight to the frame of wheels of a bicycles, is desirable for maintaining speed over sustained distances and providing for reduced pedalling power.
Prior art devices have improved acceleration of such vehicles by the addition of weight, particularly in the area of the wheels,however, due to the complex, three dimensional motion characteristic of bicycles wheels, such added momentum cannot be sustained.
Applicant is aware of prior art devices, namely U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,965 granted to Asano, which provides an aid for accelerating bicycles on which is mounted a weight for aiding the smooth acceleration, by mounting a plurality of weight blocks on a wheel rim, said weight blocks being equally weighted and arranged diametrically opposed or symmetrically on diameter through the center of the wheel. Asano discloses mounting the weight blocks, by inserting them in the annular or circumferential recess of said rim. The height of the weight blocks being so selected so as to not project so much from the recess as to unduly interfere with the tire tube with the weight block so dimensioned that it would not o project over the level of the rim, wherein the weight block is usually elongated in the shape, and is small, i.e. Of course, it is preferable that the block is as small as possible provided it has the desired weight--of 100-150 grams each, and is of 10-15 cm. in length, 1-1.5 cm. in width and 0.9-1.1 cm. in height. However, Asano's Azimuthal Moment of Inertia is not smooth in 3 dimensions.